Electronic device manufacturing systems may include process tools having multiple chambers, such as process chambers and one or more load lock chambers. Such process chambers may be used to carry out any number of processes on the substrates (e.g., silicon-containing wafers, both patterned and unpatterned, masked wafers, glass plates, silica-containing articles, or the like) such as deposition, oxidation, nitration, etching, polishing, cleaning, lithography, metrology, or the like.
Within such process tools, a plurality of such chambers may be distributed about a transfer chamber, for example. A multi-arm robot may be housed within the transfer chamber and may be configured and adapted to transport substrates between the various chambers. For example, transfers may be between process chambers, or between process chambers and the one or more load lock chambers. Slit valves may be located at the entries into each respective chamber. Efficient and precise transport of substrates between these chambers is sought after to improve system throughput.
In particular, any improvement to systems, apparatus, and methods that provide for increased functionality is welcomed.